On his day-long trip to Karnataka on May 27, 2024, VicePresident Jagdeep Dhankhar visited the state-run National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) in Bengaluru and lauded its achievements in its field besides laying the foundation to build a Centre for Carbon Fiber and Prepregs at its sprawling facility. NAL is the country’s first and largest aerospace research company set up in 1959 by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) of the Union Ministry of Science and Technology to design and develop civilian and military aircraft and other aviation projects. It operates with other state-run HAL, DRDO and ISRO to conduct research and development (R&D) in aerospace and related disciplines.
The 65-year-old premier aerospace institute is equipped with the Nilakantan Wind Tunnel Centre and a computerised fatigue test facility in the tech hub. It also has facilities for investigating failures and accidents in the aerospace engineering domain. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Mr Dhankhar said the Institute had grown into a powerhouse of R&D, contributing significantly to the aerospace sector and beyond. In the last two years, India’s space accomplishments such as Chandrayan-3 have come to be globally recognised. I realise that is not the handiwork of one institution but the convergence of several institutions that has contributed to this landmark achievement.
Disruptive Technologies
Noting that India was a land of hope and possibility, the VicePresident said NAL was not a mere laboratory, but a crucible where these things are happening. “As a student of physics honours, I am delighted,” he quipped. “In Amrit Kaal, we are seeing India’s rise, which is unstoppable and the world is noticing. India is one of the countries focusing on disruptive technologies. Our quantum computing system is already in place,” Mr Dhankhar pointed out. The government has made allocations for focusing on other disruptive technologies like machine learning, blockchain, artificial intelligence, and internet of things.
Engineering Marvel
Terming the wind tunnel being built by NAL as an engineering marvel, the Vice-President said though the
hi-tech facility looked simple, it was a challenging job. “Modern age is marked by transformational
revolutionary changes. I am committed to our thought process that education is the most impactful transactional mechanism of change. It brings about a change that respects equality. More than that, need of the hour is technological advancement,” he reiterated.
Observing that a country that is investing in technological advancement would have secure boundaries, Mr Dhankhar said gone were the days of conventional warfare. “I have before me men in uniform. They know the changing dynamics of warfare. It’s gone beyond conventional warfare. How our position will happen and how strongly we will be, will be determined in laboratories like this. And the good thing is, our future is bright because you people are working with that intellect, education, which is unrivalled in the world,” he affirmed.
The indigenous aircraft showcasing India’s ability to design and produce advanced aviation technology truly stands as a symbol of an ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’. “The rural landscape of our country is surcharged
when the Prime Minister announced that women in villages would have the capacity to operate drones, as it is within their reach. What you are doing will have great commercial exploitation. There will be growth of this industry.”
Developed Nation
A country that is still importing defence equipment is now exporting them in billions of dollars. All I can indicate is that 1.4- billion people of this country with dedication are part of a marathon march. The destination is a developed nation by 2047 when we celebrate centenary of our Independence. This silent revolution which you are bringing about, and people will come to know then their confidence will go geometric not arithmetic,” he added. Earlier in the day, the Vice-President participated in the 18th Foundation Day celebration of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) at the National Institute of Traditional Medicine (NITM) at Belagavi in the state’s northern region.
Addressing at the event, Mr Dhankhar called for promoting medicinal and herbal plants at panchayat level and urged corporates to invest in research and development through CSR. Stressing on the need to develop a fitness culture in the country so that every citizen is fit and healthy to contribute positively to country’s march for ‘Viksit Bharat @ 2047’, the VicePresident told the audience to focus on “what is already with our knowledge, our wisdom”, when it comes to health.
